Antique Head Ornament
These antique head ornament selections bring together sculpted busts, animal finials, and figural mounts from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Antique Head Ornament
An antique head ornament encompasses sculptural busts of historical figures like John Milton and William Shakespeare, alongside animal forms such as horses, stags, and crocodiles.
The selection ranges from Victorian cast iron horse head hitching posts and bronze fountain spouts to marble studies and enameled cassolettes.
Pieces span eras from the nineteenth century through the 1940s, including Regency wood sphinxes, Grand Tour marble caskets, and Art Deco glass car mascots.
Materials and construction
Foundries utilised cast iron and bronze for heavy structural pieces and garden statuary, while artisans worked white marble and Siena marble for Grand Tour studies and pedestals.
Makers incorporated glass, enamel, and silver plating for detailed accents like animal eyes and desk accessories, alongside carved wood and stone for figures.
Antique Head Ornament Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical asking prices for head ornament among the pieces listed under this phrase on Sellingantiques today, from the lower quarter to the upper quarter. They describe what is for sale here now, not the wider market.
Assessing quality and craftsmanship
Superior examples demonstrate precision in the chisel work of marble carvings or the crispness of detail in cast iron and bronze foundries.
The sophistication of the design, such as the modeling of a horse's musculature or the finish on enameled surfaces, distinguishes standard production from exceptional works.
Thomas Hope·Ernest-Eugène Hiolle·Rene Lalique·Leonhard Posch·Ernest Louis Adnin
The Antique Head Ornament Glossary
- Cassolette
- A decorative vessel featuring a reversible lid that functions as either a solid top or a burner.
- Cornucopia
- A horn-shaped container symbolizing abundance, often rendered in pairs with gilt bronze and glass.
- Hitching post
- A sturdy post, frequently cast in iron with an animal head, designed for securing horse reins.
- Ormolu
- Finely ground high-carat gold applied to a bronze base, utilised for decorative mounts and busts.
Antique Head Ornament: Frequently Asked Questions
What materials are common in these ornaments?
Cast iron, bronze, marble, and wood dominate the physical structure of these pieces.
Glass and enamel provide surface colour and detail.
How were horse head irons used?
Cast iron horse heads served primarily as hitching posts outside properties.
They functioned as practical anchors for reins alongside decorative architecture.
What periods do these pieces represent?
The inventory spans the nineteenth century through the 1940s.
Victorian, Regency, and Art Deco styles appear frequently.
How do I identify a car mascot?
Car mascots like those by Rene Lalique are moulded in pressed glass.
They were mounted on motor vehicle radiator caps during the early twentieth century.